Budgetary Actions Update

Cuts to the state budget along with student refunds for certain services have created significant budget pressures on the University of Missouri. As a result, administrators have put in place cost-cutting measures, including layoffs, furloughs, travel bans and spending restrictions. Information about personnel actions will be updated here each Friday afternoon.

For the current budget year, which runs through Jun 30, Mizzou officials are working to cover a $17 million budget gap created when the governor announced necessary state withholdings. Additionally, budget officials have asked division fiscal officers to prepare for cuts of approximately 12.5% for the upcoming fiscal year (FY21, which is from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021). Budget managers are currently using a two- to three-month window when reviewing budget decisions. As budgets are reviewed, changes could be requested.

It’s clear the effects of this pressure will present a long-term funding challenge for Mizzou and higher education throughout the nation. While temporary measures are necessary, they will not fully address the budget situation or protect the mission of the university. University leaders continue to re-evaluate university operations in a fundamental way and look for opportunities for positive structural change.

*Figures above reflect actions taken and recorded as of Wednesday, June 3, for both MU and MU Health Care. While public notices of additional layoffs, furloughs and other actions have been made, numbers in the above table are updated as that information is keyed into the human resources system.

June 5:

Mizzou Athletics has cut $16.5M from its operating budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. As part of these savings, layoffs, furloughs and salary reductions will be utilized. A three-tiered approach to Mizzou Athletics salary reductions, which will be in place from July 1 through Sept. 30:

Employees making less than $60,000 will not have their salaries reduced during this time period

Employees making $60,000 and up will have their salaries reduced by 7.5 percent

Employees making $100,000 and up will have their salaries reduced by 10 percent (those participating in President Choi’s program from earlier this spring will not be impacted again).

MU Athletics receives no institutional funding.

May 29:

The Office of Extension and Engagement announced this week that all exempt employees will take a temporary pay reduction of 10% for 3 months, and all non-exempt employees will take a one-week furlough. These measures, combined with layoffs, changes to faculty contracts, and consolidation in administration will result in a reduction of more than $2.7 million, or 12.5% to MU Extension and Engagement’s budget. (Please note, layoffs and furloughs noted here may not be represented in the table above depending on when they are entered into the HR computer system.)

May 22:

Due to ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 public health crisis, officials at the MU School of Health Professions have closed the Adult Day Connection permanently. The ADC had been closed since March 18; however, given the current health concerns and the nature of the center’s operations, officials determined that it would not be possible to open the center for its clients in a safe manner.

Under the “Show Me Renewal Plan,” university employees began to return to the campus this past week. By Friday, officials expected approximately 1,000 MU employees to be back on campus. This represents less than 10% of the MU workforce.

579 MU employees (including MU Health Care) have taken or been scheduled to take furloughs to date.

The president and interim chancellor’s offices at UM System and MU are restructuring administrative support in an effort to reduce duplication of duties, minimize costs and increase efficiencies. These actions include layoffs, reassignments and changing duties for certain staff.

President and Interim Chancellor Mun Choi and Provost Latha Ramchand have convened the Program Audit and Restructuring Committee (PARC) to provide recommendations regarding academic restructuring on our campus. This program audit will allow the university to take a closer look at degree programs, academic units and other related entities to identify programs that can be modified, consolidated, suspended or discontinued.

May 1:

The university, including MU Health Care, reports the following:

49 layoffs, which include 32 layoffs in MU Health Care across management, administration, hospitals and clinics.

No furloughs have been taken to date.

School of Medicine faculty will have pay reduced by 10% for one-to-three months based on their salary structure. School of Medicine staff will take a 10% pay reduction for three months or a one-week unpaid furlough based on department needs.

195 MU employees have volunteered for pay reductions at an estimated savings of $800,000

390 leaders, senior administrators and other employees across the University of Missouri System have volunteered for pay reductions at an estimated savings of $1.5 million.